Govt To Begin Asking Civil Servants To Take Oath

The Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip said the administration will begin asking newly hired civil servants to sign a statement next week confirming they embrace the Basic Law and swear allegiance to the SAR.

Speaking on a radio programme, Nip said circulars asking civil servants who joined the government from July 1 this year to sign the statement would be distributed to different department on Monday.

He said signing the statement can make government staff more aware of their responsibilities, and those in probation will be the next to sign the statement.

The minister said authorities will consult civil servant bodies on arrangements for all other government workers, and they may be asked to sign the statement in one go regardless of their rank.

Senior officers like department heads will be required to take an oath.

Nip said public officers can say whatever they want about government policies before they're finalised – but should help promote them once decisions are made.

The minister also said that even though civil servants are also citizens, there are limits on what they can say or do because of their duties as government workers.

He said breaching the statement or oath is a serious matter, and those who did so could lose their jobs.

"If you do not embrace the Basic Law, and do not swear allegiance to the Hong Kong SAR, does it mean that you do not support 'One Country, Two Systems', or do not agree that Hong Kong is part of the country? Or you do not accept the government and have the intention to overthrow it?" he asked.